Star Trek episode "The Cloud Minders"

"The Cloud Minders"

Season 3, Episode 21.

They're out to rescue a planet with a cure for a plague. They need to get a substance called zenite from a planet called Merak II and bring it to the planet Ardana. However, they run into difficlty when they come between the apartheid policies of the "upper class" living in the cloud city of Stratos and the "working class" living in the mines--a quite succinct literal interpretation of "upper" and "lower" class.

It is interesting how the beautiful "upper class" woman that Spock tries to woo shows her bitter social hatred, proving that beauty is more than skin deep. I would have liked to have seen Spock chastise her for it, or at least somehow address it. He does leave her completely alone after he sees this, but I wish it had been confronted.

Also, is Kirk violating the Prime Directive when he tries to help the working class? He basically frees them. While personally I applaud his actions, isn't this supreme interference in the culture on the planet? Is he the catalyst for change or does he press it? Wouldn't he be idolized for this? I mean, look how we rightfully idolize Rosa Parks and MLK--would there be Kirk Day on this planet for his liberation of the working class?

However, this is a good little episode; it just feels a bit cramped in a 50-minute tv show format. This may actually have made a much better novel than what appears on the screen. Theme is good though.